Sometimes it can be a difficult decision when opening the humidor. I have worked hard over the years and finally have somewhat of a respectable collection of cigars to choose from. This time however there were no hard choices or debating to be done. My mind and palate we craving this cigar and man was it right on!

The wrapper on the Padrón 1926 No. 2 Maduro is a gorgeous, silky dark maduro leaf. Just by first glance at the cap you could see the care and precision used to put it on… just perfect. The bands on all of the Serie 1926 and 1964 Padrón cigars are always appealing to the eye. Each has a double band with lovely gold outline and writing and every cigar has its own ID number printed on it. Just another sign of the quality level Padrón puts into their smokes. The pre-light smell portrays an earthy wholeness and the pre-light draw is loose with a rich velvet undertone.

To commemorate José O. Padrón’s 80th birthday, the Padrón family released its first ever perfecto, the 1926 Serie 80 Years. With production being limited to 40,000 units per year the 80 years cigars are available in boxes of eight with choice of natural or maduro wrappers. Along with the unique shape and specially aged Nicaraguan tobacco comes a hefty price tag (+$30). For most of us this is certainly not “in the budget” however every now and then it’s nice to step out and splurge a little (just don’t let the Mrs. find out).

Well it’s been awhile since my last post. Does that mean I’ve quit smoking cigars… NO WAY! Sometimes life just gets crazy and too busy, I hope you’ll understand. However, I’m back and have lots of great cigar reviews to post.

The Padrón 3000 Maduro. I have to be honest in saying that this is one of my favorite cigars. I always keep them stocked in my humidor and when I’m running low I just order another box. The Padrón 3000 Series, natural and maduro, are available in boxes of 26, box of 4, and single cigars. It is definitely not the most attractive cigar or the most complex by any means however for me it provides what a cigar should and is the most practical without burning a hole in the wallet. I personally enjoy this cigar at cookouts, barbeques and the occasional Par 3 golf course.

Today we bring you a very special guest review of the well-known Padron Londres Natural, submitted by the crew from Blind Man's Puff. They do blind cigar reviews - each cigar is smoked by at least 4 different reviewers and the smokes are received naked, without any bands or information. We love the concept - so go ahead and check out their site for more reviews like this one.

Aroma: 89

“The ugly appearance is somewhat redeemed by the aroma, it smells very pleasant. I'm picking up mild plain tobacco, and a little sweetness.” -Emmett (rhetorik)

Construction: 86

“The cigar felt even in the hand. It had a well done box press that was not too aggressive. It was firm with no detectable soft spots. They skimped on the cap and went with a single cap, no big deal though.” -Will (Dubv23)

Padrón has a habit of celebrating important anniversaries with style, and the company’s 40th Anniversary is no exception. In 2004, Padrón released a stunning box-pressed torpedo named the Serie 1926 40th Anniversary. It garnered almost universal critical acclaim when it came out, but can this cigar hold up to its own mystique eight years later?

This is the new series of reviews I am introducing to Cigar Inspector readers. These are quick and brief reviews of usually one cigar that I am smoking at a brick and mortar or a cigar that otherwise I just didn’t deem needing a full review. This by no means states that these cigars didn’t deserve a full review, it just means I was a little more spontaneous in taking notes on these sticks. So in these reviews, I just smoke a cigar and take a few notes to give readers a general reference of what they can expect from the cigar. Hope everyone can appreciate these reviews for what they are- quick reviews of cigars I have never smoked before.

The exclusivo has a dark brown, leathery wrapper with minimal oils. The cigar gives when squeezed, has a good open draw, and is very rustic looking. The burn was very straight with no touch ups. Draw was consistently open throughout the smoke.

The Exclusivo smokes more like a corona gorda than a robusto extra. The box press makes it seem a little thinner. The flavors are compact, lively, not overly complex, and have a ton of strength (it had me staggering a bit when I walked away). A really solid smoke for one of Cigar Aficionado's top cigars of the year. Personally, this is my favorite Padron I have smoked.

Padron is known for commemorating significant family dates or events with the release of a limited production cigar blended from some of the family’s oldest bales of tobacco. The 85th birthday of Jose Orlando Padron brought a new cigar to the Family Reserve line dubbed the “85 Years.”

The Padron SI-15 is the second cigar from a four part exclusive installment of cigars (“Microblend series”) from some of the game’s biggest players. The first cigar made for Smoke Inn in the four part exclusive series was the Tatuaje Anarchy, second - Padron 1964 SI-15 Natural/Maduro, third - My Father El Hijo, and the fourth - unreleased - is supposed to be by Arturo Fuente. This is the largest Padron cigar made to date, a whopping 6x60 monstrocity. With all of the tobacco aged for at least 4 years, I believe I could be in for a real treat.